


I Guess This is What Love Is

by self_love_guru



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Divergence, M/M, and blood, established klance, i love him in the show tho, klance, klangst, lance is important, lotors an ass, mamas boy lance, men with feelings, there are tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 06:07:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14664876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/self_love_guru/pseuds/self_love_guru
Summary: Lance is taken prisoner by Lotor during a mission. Keith has to deal with his fear and confront it too (with our blue boi's help)TRIGGER WARNING: THERE IS TORTURE AND BLOOD IN THIS STORY SO PLEASE STAY SAFE WHILE READING!





	I Guess This is What Love Is

**Author's Note:**

> I saw some klangst on tumblr and I was inspired to write this. I can't find the pictures but yeah, props to that human for doing that art work!

Lotor and Lance stood facing Keith, not that Keith even looked at the former. He was more concerned about the sword being pressed against Lance's throat. There was a small trickle of blood running down Lance's collarbone from the immediate, yet short struggle one would perform after having a sharp object thrusted around your face.

"Lance," Keith spoke. The distance between them was, realistically short, but it felt as if there was a chasm between them.

Lance was trying to remain calm but the panic was clear in his wide eyes and labored breaths.

Lotor sneered, "Follow us and and he dies."

Keith stood, frozen, as he watched the two move down a dark hallway and towards Lotor's ship.

He finally tuned back into his comm. Shiro was demanding answers, "Keith what's happening?"

Keith choked back a sob, "Oh, my God."

***

Lance's form shook as he was passed off to a pair of Galran officers. His wrists ached from their position of being bound behind his back.

Lotor sneered, "Take him to a solitary cell. Only the best for the useless blue paladin."

The guards saluted the Galran Prince before herding him away.

Lance tried to pay attention to all the turns they took to the cell but his mind was buzzing with too much anxiety to think clearly. Lotor had taken Lance's helmet, and with it, his translator, meaning he had no idea of what the guards were talking about as they led through the ship.

He had never noticed before, but the Galran language was terrifying, simply growls and a gravelly noise that made his mind itch.

Lance was shoved into a small cell and the cuffs around his wrists deactivated. Lance thought he would be left alone then, but the guards stepped into the cells as the door closed, both grinning sickly.

"Wha-" Lance started to ask, but was cut off when a fist met with his stomach.

He gasped for air, and snapped his head up just in time to see a clawed hand swinging towards his face. He lifted his hands to protect his face, he cried out when the skin on his forearms was ripped apart by the guards hands.

The other guard quickly grabbed Lance's wrists and held them above the paladin's head.

The Galrans' laughter echoed in Lance's ears as he was left helpless against the attacks.

When the second guard became bored with watching, he opted for a turn of beating their prisoner. Lance gasped for breath between the assaults. He couldn't think of anything beyond the pain in his ribs and the ache in his head.

He began to struggle against the guard's grip on his arms when he saw the other draw out a long blade. His floundering was met with another bout of laughter from the Galrans. Their laughter was more haunting than their voices, it made Lance's stomach twist in torment.

Blood dripped down Lance's arms and stomach as he screamed in agony.

Just let it stop, he prayed.

And some omnipotent power in the universe must have heard Lance's desperate plea. The guard holding Lance dropped him to the floor, barked something to the other and they left. But not before another kick was planted in Lance's stomach.

The darkness enveloped Lance as he curled up as small as possible and drifted into unconsciousness, his whole body screaming, and his mind focused on one thing: Keith.

***

That was a week ago.

Keith stood facing a gladiator. His mind swirling like a hurricane of thoughts.

Keith sighed, "End training level nine," the bot disappeared and Keith didn't.

Hunk stepped into the training room, "Hey, Keith. Shiro and Allura have a plan."

Keith straightened, despite knowing what his friend was talking about, he asked, "Lance?"

Hunk's eyes were tired, and Keith mentally kicked himself. Lance was something to the whole team, not just him.

Coran's (almost) adoptive son.

Allura's confidant.

Shiro's teammate.

Pidge's big brother.

Hunk's best friend.

Everyone was concerned about Lance. He just got stuck in his own worry and anger and couldn't see past the image of Lance's terrified eyes burned into his skull.

"Yeah," Hunk whispered at last, "Lance."

The two boys ran to the control room and stared expectantly at Shiro and Allura. Pidge and Coran stood to the side of the room mumbling about some kind of technology that Keith didn't understand.

Allura turned to Keith and Hunk, "Coran and I will stay here and provide cover fire and a quick escape. Shiro and Pidge will take the Green Lion first, destabilizing their security , while also finding where Lance is. Then, you two will take the Red Lion and be directed by them to collect Lance. You will then all return back to the castle and we will worm hole out of this sector. Does that sound good?"

There was determination in Allura's words. There was no room for doubt on this mission. They were going to get Lance back, no if's, but's, or, and's.

Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement. Allura nodded, "Alright then, suit up."

Shiro took the lead, "Let's go team."

As Keith powered up Red, he found himself whispering to Lance, "I'm coming, just hold on."

***

The halls of the detainment floor were full of sentries. Keith couldn't tell if he liked that fact or not. On one hand, he needed this, to destroy something. But on the other hand, he wanted to get to Lance as fast as possible.

Hunk yelled as he shot down four sentries with his bayard.

"Keith, Hunk," Pidge's voice was urgent in Keith's comm, "Lance's cell is just around the next corner. Be careful, there's two guards there right now."

Keith growled as he sprinted around the corner. The two guards Pidge had spoken of were just leaving the cell. The looks on their faces told Keith that the team's plan for a surprise rescue had been a success. He quickly overpowered the guards and stalked towards Lance's cell.

Keith ripped off his glove and scanned his hand to open the door. The stench of blood coming from the room made Keith's gut clench. 

***

The light shone in Lance's eyes. He recoiled back into against the wall of his cell, attempting to slow his breathing and make himself as small as possible. The guards just left, they couldn't be back already, unless they decided he hadn't screamed enough for their satisfaction.

He hadn't seen any other living thing other than those two guards who took pleasure in torturing him.

Lance closed his eyes and waited for the pain, the only thing he'd come to know since that mission when Lotor had overpowered him.

That damned mission. Lance and Keith just needed to gather some intel from the Galran cruiser and get out. But the universe had deemed that plan too easy.

Lance's body still ached from the torture he endured daily. His muscles spasmed against his will. 

Lance hated feeling so helpless. He hated being useless and hurt and alone.

"Lance?" he recognized the voice and looks up to see Keith rushing towards him.

"Lance, baby. Oh, my God."

Lance's heart beat flutters, feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. He tried to speak but only a weak cough escapes his lips. Lance settles for grasping at Keith's hand.

Keith's voice was gentle and a blessing to Lance's ears, "I'm bringing you home, baby. Don't worry, I've got you."

His usual response would would be to make a joke, but Lance was too overwhelmed to think straight.

Keith gathered Lance in his arms, apologizing when Lance cried out from the pain of the movement, and ran out out of the room.

There must have been someone else there. To take care of the soldiers and sentries that were finally responding to the team's breaking in, but to Lance, there was only Keith.

Keith, who got roused up at his jokes.

Keith, who taught him how to use a sword.

Keith, who had so many walls up, Lance wasn't sure he could ever break them down.

Keith, who broke the walls down from the inside.

Keith, who asked him out in a fevered trance.

Keith, who loved him.

Keith, whom he loved.

Keith, who came for him.

Lance slipped into unconsciousness in the Red Lion, curled up in Keith in Keith's lap as he whispered assurances into Lance's ear.

***

Lance fell out of the healing pod into Keith's waiting arms. After the ritual of greeting everyone Keith herded him to their shared room. Lance collapsed on the bed and Keith sat on the edge. When Keith placed a gentle hand on Lance's chest, he stiffened which made Keith's heart ache with the knowledge of what his boyfriend had been through.

He almost didn't hear Keith's words, "I'm sorry, Lance."

Lance sat up suddenly , making Keith jump, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault."

"How is it not though? I was supposed to protect you but I-"

Keith cut off and sniffed. Lance pulled Keith into a hug, "Keith, mi luz, mi estrella. It's not your fault. I don't blame you. Please don't blame yourself." 

Keith buried his face deeper in Lance's chest.

"I love you," he whispered into Lance's shirt.

"I love you too," Lance whispered back, "Please be kind to yourself."

"Lance," Keith sobbed, before sitting up and rubbing at his face, "God, look at me. You're comforting me when it should be the other way around."

Lance shook his head, "Don't do that. We could play the blame game and throw a pity party all night, but I don't want to."

Keith turned his head away from Lance but he gently pulled Keith's face to face him and met his eyes, "We're both here, I'm not going anywhere, I'm safe, Keith."

"You could've died, Lance."

"But I didn't," Lance countered.

"What about next time? I know it's an occupational hazard but-" Keith choked on another sob, "I can't lose you Lance. You're the only thing I have to lose."

Lance wanted to ask 'what about the rest of the team?' but he knew that wasn't what Keith needed. He looked around the room. Lance's jacket laid crumpled beside the bed, when it was usually hung up in the closet. Lance knew he hung it up before the two left for the mission, which meant Keith had taken it out, the sole source of comfort for him when Lance was gone.

He pulled Keith into another, tight embrace, "I can't lose you either."

Keith grabbed onto Lance's shirt, "I was so scared for you."

"I know baby, I know." Lance's eyes burned with tears, and his stomach clenched.

Keith went silent for a moment as he worked out what he was feeling and how he could explain it to Lance.

"But it's like I'm terrified of losing you and every time we go out there to save the universe I always think, 'is this the last time I see him?' and I hate that. I love you, Lance. But I hate feeling terrified all the damn time."

Lance brushed some of Keith's hair away, "It's not just you. I feel the same way."

Keith looked shocked, "How-?"

Lance shrugged and smiled a bit, "My Mama always said that's what love is. You're always worried about them, you can't sleep without knowing if they're safe-"

Lance cut off, knowing that might've hit too close to home right then. The thin scars that the cyropod couldn't erase riddled Lance's frame and Keith could hardly stand to look at them. So instead, Keith kissed them. Every scar he saw, he placed his lips on. He began to murmur words against Lance's skin.

"Forgive me," a kiss on Lance's jaw.

"We're still here," a kiss to his wrist. 

"I guess this is what love is," on the back of his hand. Lance gently pulled his arm away and placed his hands on Keith's cheeks.

"Yeah, I guess so," Lance's eyes traced Keith's face. Lance closed his eyes, took a deep, yet shaky breath before opening his eyes again and confessing to Keith, "I didn't stop thinking about you."

"Lanc-" 

"You were the only thing that helped me hold on, I think, if I didn't believe you were coming, I would've given up. But I held on."

Lance's body shook, "And I think that's what love is, too, holding on for the people who you need and who need you."

They were both crying and Keith closed the distance between them in a desperate kiss that tasted of tears and longing. 

Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, entangled in each other's limbs, and kissing, and crying. 

Lance closed his eyes, as the two boys curled up together, finally retiring for the night. As Lance drifted into sleep, he silently thanked God, and the universe, that he had returned back into Keith's arms.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this! It took me like a week to write and three days to type out because I'm easily distracted.  
> Well, till next time! Stay safe!


End file.
